(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to package sorting conveyors and, more particularly, to a conveyor system having a conveying track, at least one unloading station, and an improved speed control chute.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Conveyor systems having a number of individual carrying carts have been used for many years to carry and sort packages such as shoes and apparel or other items such as mail. Conventional tilt tray sorters discharge their goods onto individual chutes located near each packer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,601 to Sjogren et al. discloses a package-sorting conveyor comprised of a train of tilt tray carriers coupled in tandem to form a continuous loop. Each carrier includes a pivotally mounted tilt tray normally maintained in an upright position. The carriers are moved around the loop by a series of motors spaced around the loop. Branching out from the loop are out-feed positions for receiving packages from the carriers. When a particular carrier holding a particular package to be sorted reaches a selected out-feed position, an actuator tilts the tray to dump the package into a transition zone funnel or other package-receiving device.
Conventional sorting conveyors sort boxes and bags by providing package-receiving devices at out-feed positions that have a roller-lined surfaces for boxes, and more steeply declined package-receiving chutes at different out-feed positions without rollers for bags. Thus a fixed number of box out-feed positions and bag out-feed positions are established on the conveyor. Alternatively, distribution centers may use two conventional sorting conveyors, one dedicated to boxes and one to bags. Therefore, efficiencies could be realized if the boxes could be sorted into the more steeply declined package-receiving chutes. The problems associated with doing so, however, include damaged to the boxes in the chutes because the weight of the boxes and the speed in the chute.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved conveyor system having a conveying track, at least one unloading station, and an improved chute where the speed of the boxes moving there through can be controlled to prevent inflicting damage to the boxes.